Truck extension ladder



Jan. 29, 1957 w. G. VOGEL 2,779,525

TRUCK EXTENSION LADDER Filed April 14, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTQB.

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TRUCK EXTENSION LADDER Filed April 14, 195,5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 t VH Mun l n m. l'

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Yum/)fom v ylg/ A fil/Q 5M Affomey United States Patentvv TRUCK EXTENSION LADDER William G. Vogel, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application April 14, 1955, Serial No. 501,359

1 Claim. (Cl. 228-45) 'above the ground, getting into and out of the body except where loading platforms are available, has been difficult and requires considerable exertion with also danger of injury. These disadvantages and dangers are substantiallyY eliminated with my invention.

Such extension ladder of my invention, when not in use, is retracted underneath the floor of the truck body, is out of the way and has no projecting portions extending either to the rear or to a side of a truck body. When a destination is reached and the extension lad-der is used, it is very quickly and easily pulled out to its operative position, automatically taking a position in which, through a series of steps, the distance between the ground and oor of the truck body is divided and one may enter or get out of the truck body with the same ease as going up or coming down a ladder or stairway, the steps of which are short distances apart.

My invention of a sturdy and durable character is readily manufactured and assembled economically. It may be quickly secured to the under side of the truck bottom or oor. An understanding of the invention and of a preferred structure embodying the same may be had from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation showing a truck body equipped with my extension ladder in the position which it occupies when in use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the truck extension ladder of my invention in retracted position.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section therethrough substantially on the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section, somewhat enlarged, on the plane of line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, somewhat enlarged, transversev vertical section substantially on the plane of line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the truck extension ladder of my invention in its retracted position, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective View showing the ladder extended as when used.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different iigures of the drawings.

In the construction of the truck extension ladder, two elongated tubular bars 1 were provided each of which at its under side has a longitudinal slot 2 extending from one end to the other of each bar. The cross section of each bar is of generally rectangular form and the slots 2 are midway between the vertical sides of said tubular bars.

Patented Jan. 29, 1957 Such tubular bars 1 are located parallel to and spaced from eachother. Adjacent each end thereof inverted U- shaped stirrups, each having a horizontal upper side 3 and depending vertical legs 4 are connected with the bars 1, the upper sides of each having slots through which the lower end portions of the legs 4 pass and reach to the slots 2. Rods 5 pass through the vertical sides of the tubular bars 1 and the lower end portions of the legs 4 and extend between theV spaced bars, such rods between the tubular bars 1 passing through elongated tubular sleeves 6. The

- sleeves 6 space the bars from each other and at the ends of the rods 5 nuts are screwed thereon; or one end of each of the rods 5 may have a head and at the other end the nut screwed thereon, making. a secure connection of the tubular bars 1, the inverted U-shaped stirrups, rods 5 and spacing sleeves 6.

One step unit of the ladder construction comprises two plates 7 spaced from each other and located in vertical planes, the outer ends of which are permanently secured with a horizontal transverse step 8 which is welded or otherwise permanently secured to said plates. At the upper sides of the inner end portions of the plates 7 are integral vertical extensions 9 which pass through the slots 2 in the bars 1. Within said tubular bars pairs of rollers 10 are mounted on the vertical extensions 9 on pins 11 which pass through such extensions 9 one near each end thereof, the rollers 11 being located at opposite sides of the extensions 9 and riding upon the lower sides of the tubular bars 1 outwardly of lower slots 2 therein. It is apparent that such upper step structure is movable upon the tubular bars 1, the rollers 11 traversing such bars and that the lower end portions of the legs 4 within the bars 1 serve as stops to limit the outward and inward movements of such upper step unit.

A lower step unit is provided comprising two spaced plates 12 located in vertical planes which also at their outer ends have a transverse step 13, preferably of the form shown, welded a-t its ends to the outer end portions of the plates 12. At their inner ends such sides 12 which are located outwardly of sides 7 of the first described step unit are pivotally connected to the rear end portions of said sides 7. A rod 14 passes through said sides 7 and 12 with an elongated sleeve 15 around the rod 14 between the sides 7 (Fig. 5), said rod 14 having a nut threaded threon at each end or at one end having a head and at the other end such nut.

The lower step unit, as shown in Fig. 7, normally tends to move downwardly at its outer end until it reaches a position in which the step 13 is substantially horizontal. It is held in such position by stops provided at the rear upper corner portions of the sides 12. Such corner portions are cut away to leave edges at 16 which coming against the under sides of the tubular bars 1 hold the lower step unit in the position shown in Fig. 7 when the upper and lower step units have been pulled outwardly to operative position. When in retracted inoperative position, as in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, the outer end of the lower step unit is releasably held against the tubular bars 1, a spring latch 17 engaging with the outer flange of the step 13. The latch of spring metal is welded or otherwise permanently secured to the sleeve 6 around the outer rod 5.

The truck extension ladder of my invention is adapted to be permanently secured at the under side of the bottom or oor of a truck body, like at 18 in Fig. l. lt will be located adjacent an opening to the body as at the rear end thereof, and in some instances where there are openings closed by doors at the sides, such extension ladders will be located at such side openings. The attachment is by bolts or other fastening means connecting the upper ends 3 of the inverted U-shaped stirrup members to the lloor or bottom of the truck. When not in use (Figs. 2 and 6) the upper step unit is moved to the rear as far as it will go,

envases.,

carrying with it the lower step unit. ASuch lower unit at its outer end is swung upwardly until it engages with and vis eld in place by the spring latch 17.

Whenlit is to be used, the spring latch 17 is disengaged'` and by manually graspingl the depending flange ofthe step 13 both step units may be. pulled outwardly until stopped by the legs 4 ofthe outer stirrup whereupon the lower step unit is loweredat its outer end to. the position shown in Fig. 7. The ladder attachment willv then be in the position shown in Fig. 1,` the lower step lfbeing :t

short distance fromthe ground and the upper step 17 a substantially equal distance from theupper side ofthe oor or bottom of the truck body. This provides an easy means of getting into andout. ofthe bodyasis evident..

The structure described is-.Very practical VandA useful and isof great strength andsdurability, being of a sturdy structure.

The invention is .dened inrtheappended clainrand is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure Corning within its scope.

I claim Structure asy described comprising, two horizontal, tubular bars, each having a continuous slot lengthwise thereof in its lower side, an inverted U-shaped stirrup adjacent each end of said bars, the legs of which at lower end portions thereof pass through the upper sides of said bars generally to the slots therein, rods passing through said bars and lower end portions of said legs connecting the stirrups and bars, with the bars in parallel spaced relation, a step unit comprising two spaced parallel plates and a step fixed to and extending between said plates at the outer end portions thereof, each of said plates being in a vertical plane in the plane of' a slot in a tubular bar, and each of said plates having an inwardly-positioned extension passing through its associated slot upwardly into its associated tubular bar, and-rollers on said extensions within said tubular bars carrying said. plates simultaneously lengthwise of the bars, the lower end portions of said legs providing stops limiting the movements of said plates outwardly and inwardly.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED' srATns PATENTS- 1,222,376 Lawson Apr.v 17, 1917 2,544,799 McCann s Mar. 13, 1951 2,678,831 Fisher May 18, 1954 FOREIGN `PATISNFS 513,877 Greatriein oct. 24, 1939 

